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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27294235">After Time Adrift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodOfSanguine/pseuds/BloodOfSanguine'>BloodOfSanguine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Mass Effect 2, Past Shepard/Liara T'Soni</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:22:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27294235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodOfSanguine/pseuds/BloodOfSanguine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>My Novelization of Mass Effect 2, following a generally paragon John Shepard. Inspired by other Fanfiction and the (Hopeful) release of the remastered Trilogy. Mostly follows the plot of Mass Effect, will branch off more as the story continues</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>After Time Adrift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Project Lazarus begins</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Death.<br/>
</p><p>One of the few things that bound all organic life together. Every culture had their own words for it, their own reactions to it, but everyone understood that it would one day claim them too. No matter what boundaries had been crossed, what wonders of technology achieved, every race faced one final end point. It came for some earlier then others, but even the most arrogant of the Asari could not deny its grasp.<br/>
</p><p>Humanity, even with their endless determination and refusal to accept the boundaries placed upon them, was no different. Command John Shepard, Hero of the Skyllian Blitz, the Lion of Elysium, First Human Specter, Savior of the Citadel, and Icon for the entire human race was no different. For all his skills, his courage, and his fame, he had been killed.<br/>
</p><p>Left Shoulder blade fractured. Every Single Rib Shattered. Right Lung Punctured. Hip Bones Pulverized. Countless Bones twisted unnaturally or completely unsalvageable. Functionally and Medically Dead in every way possible.<br/>
</p><p>In truth, the famous Specter more closely resembled a heap of flesh and shattered bones held together only by the armor that had failed so greatly.<br/>
</p><p>Had he been any other man, of any other race, of any lesser importance he would be sitting inside the ornate coffin that had been procured for his funeral less then a week ago. Instead he was laying on an operating table on a station millions of miles from the closest civilized planet.<br/>
It was true that humanity was no different then the other races of the galaxy when it came to the cruel finality of death.<br/>
</p><p>Was.<br/>
</p><p>On this lonely station orbiting some unmarked star, unremarkable in almost every way, history would be irrevocably changed. Humanity would forge its way towards overthrowing death and pushing back the grim stalwart reaper that had haunted Mankind since it had first existed.<br/>
</p><p>The Illusive man had declared it, and he would not broke failure. Humanities’ dominance would be proven by Cerberus, no matter the cost. The Paragon of Humanity was needed soon to fight a greater threat then anything seen before, and he could not do so from a coffin.<br/>
</p><p>After time adrift among the open stars, the Hero would rise again to fight the darkness that threatened everything. No matter the cost. </p><p>---- ---- ----<br/>
</p><p>Shepard’s first thoughts upon achieving the impossible, again, were clouded by pain and panic. He could clearly remember the heavy pressure on his lungs, the mind-numbing pain of shattered bones rending his own flesh. The cold voice of some unknown woman did little to calm his rapidly heaving chest or his slow spasms as his muscles desired to move once more.<br/>
</p><p>Seconds felt like eons, but slowly his mind realized that the pain had subsided. Not completely, but no longer was his body struggling for its very survival. Instead, it turned its attention to the difficult task of forming words. “Whe-“He managed before struggling for another Breath.<br/>
</p><p>“Shepard, don’t try to move.” Came the same voice from before, this time understandable. Despite his firm knowledge that he had never seen her before in his life, that voice founded familiar. Soothing was likely a word that had never been used to describe the cold, clinical tone she used, but for Shepard in this moment it was. “Just lie still, try to stay calm”<br/>
</p><p>Another voice, this time clearly male rang out, but Shepard could not make out the words over his own breathing. “Tali. Garrus. Where.” He managed to wheeze out, each word a pain to drag out. He had been injured before, seriously multiple times in the hunt for Saren alone. No matter what had happened to him, Tali and Garrus had always stayed by his side protecting him from Chakwas when he could not defend himself. Liara was special to him, even more so right before Ilos, but she never could stand the sight of his injuries.<br/>
</p><p>His heaving chest contracted painfully second after his exclamations, the panic returning rapidly when some machine beside him began beeping painfully loud. His own breathing drowned out the entire world except for that beeping as the mysterious woman walked away from him to some console yelling something about a dosage.<br/>
</p><p>The cool relief of something washed over Shepard like a wave seconds later, sweeping the pain and panic away and hazing his mind.<br/>
</p><p>The Woman was back now, standing over him like some guardian angel. Her words meant nothing to him, but even his damped brain understood the tones. Perhaps she would be back with his crew later. It must have been deep into the third cycle if they were not here. Yes, he could stay calm for them. Darkness pooled at the edges of his vision and for now he accepted it.<br/>
</p><p>With almost as much of rapid change as he woke up, Commander Shepard went back into his medically induced coma unaware of how close to a second death he just was.<br/>
</p><p>He was also blissfully unaware the rest of the Galaxy thought he was dead. Unaware his friends, his crew, the people he loved more then anything had gone to his funeral and been shattered. Unaware of the bitter love that had never been admitted. And most of all, unaware he was in the clutches of the terrorist group he had fought with every fiber of his previous life.</p>
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